The invention relates to a connector for a fluid line delimiting a fluid duct therein, the wall of said fluid line having at least one signal conductor for the transmission of electrical and/or optical signals, said connector comprising a plug socket for the fluid line, a holding device for holding the fluid line in the mounted condition thereof and at least one signal switch contact for producing a connection with the at least one signal conductor.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a fluid line for use with such a connector, comprising a wall surrounding a fluid duct, which wall has at least one signal conductor for the transmission of electrical and/or optical signals and a fluid power means, as for example a valve arrangement, a servicing device, with such a connector or, respectively, such a fluid line.
The Japanese patent publication P-H8-270845 for instance discloses a fluid line having two electrical conductors arranged in the wall thereof. The fluid line is able to be plugged into a connector. At the position of connection conductors project out of the fluid line and join with signal switch contacts of the connector to form electrical contact connections. The connector or, respectively, the fluid line is arranged on a fluid power means.
By way of the fluid line it is possible to conduct both fluid pressure medium and also control signals and/or information to and from a fluid power means. However, the known connector is inconvenient to handle, something which has to do with the connection system adopted: a pressure-tight connection must be produced the connector or, respectively, fluid power means and the fluid line. Furthermore, the signal conductors must be connected with signal switch contacts of the connector or, respectively, the fluid power means.
In this respect the signal switch contact or contacts on the connector must be positioned in relation to the at least one signal conductor. This however makes it more difficult for the user to plug in the fluid line correctly into the connector. The result of this may be contact problems and consequent faulty functioning or even damage due to reversal of connections.
Accordingly one object of the present invention is to provide a connector, a fluid line and, respectively, fluid power means of the initially described type in the case of which the correlation of the at least one signal conductor and the at least one signal switch contact is improved.
In order to achieve these and/or other objects appearing from the present specification, claims and drawings, in the present invention a connector of the type initially mentioned is provided such that at the plug socket the fluid line is provided with a guide means for angularly aligned arrangement of the fluid line, such guide means being able to be introduced into the at least one fluid duct and in the case of such introduction it slides along at least one angular encoding means arranged in the at least one fluid duct so that the fluid duct is able to be brought into a predetermined angular position prior to contact being made between the at least one signal switch contact and the at least one signal conductor.
In the case of a fluid line of the type initially mentioned there is a provision such that a fluid line of the type initially mentioned has at least one fluid duct with at least one angular encoding means, into which the guide means of the connector is able to be introduced, the guide means being able to slide during such introduction along the at least one angular encoding means and that it possesses an end side provided for connection with the connector the at least one signal conductor terminating flush with at least one signal conductor or being set-back in relation to this at least one signal conductor.
In the case of a fluid power means of the type initially mentioned the object of the invention is to be attained by the provision of at least one such connector and/or at least one such fluid duct.
A principal concept of the invention is in this respect the provision of the angular encoding means on the inner side of the fluid line so that the outer side may possess an external shape optimized as regards fluid-tight or pressure-tight connection with the connector. It is however to be understood that in addition to the angular encoding means on the inner side in accordance with the invention the external shape of the fluid line may possess a angular encoding means. In any case, in the case of the connector of the invention the desired angular position necessary for contacting at least one signal conductor may be readily attained. Operation is simple, contact being reliably made with at least one signal conductor.
Further advantageous developments of the invention are defined in the claims.
It is preferred for the guide means to be so designed that on introduction of the fluid line the predetermined angular position may be already reached prior to locking the fluid line by the holding means. The fluid line may be rotated without any trouble into the angular position before the holding device impedes or even prevents rotation.
Preferably, the guide means is arranged in the plug socket. In this case a central arrangement is preferred.
Preferably the guide means is adapted for centering the fluid line in the plug socket, in which case however a centering means separate from the guide means is possible, for example in the form of a centering pin or the like.
It is an advantage for an abutment to be arranged in relation to the plug socket for the fluid line, in front of which the guide means project. The fluid line may then be slipped over the guide means and be moved forward as far as the abutment.
On the guide means at least one cam is preferably provided on the guide means for cooperation with the angular encoding means. The cam for example has the effect that the fluid line may be joined with the connector with a sort of turning and plugging movement, the cam acting so that during plugging the fluid line into position there is a superimposed rotary movement. However, a reversal of parts is possible such that the angular encoding means possesses at least one cam or is constituted by a cam.
In the case of the angular encoding means various different designs are possible: for example it may be constituted by the cross sectional configuration of the fluid duct, an elliptical or four cornered cross section being possible to set one or more angular positions. Furthermore, at least one groove and/or at least one projection may be provided as an angular encoding means. In such a projection preferably the at least one signal conductor is arranged. In any case the guide means is designed for cooperation with the correspondingly designed angular encoding means and for this purpose has lugs and pins and the like adapted for example to the configuration of the cross section, respectively, to the grooves and projections of the fluid duct.
In accordance with a particularly preferred design in accordance with the invention the guide means possesses at least two lugs adapted to match the shape of the fluid duct, which in the assembled state rest against the outline of the fluid duct. The lugs are preferably connected together by a stabilizing rib.
Dependent on the type, manner of functioning and number of the signal conductor or conductors the predetermined angular position may be a single angular position or a plurality of radially symmetrical angular positions may be provided. If only a single signal conductor is present, only a single angular position will be possible. If however for example two signal conductors are present, in the case of which reversal of electrical connections is of no concern, it is possible for example also for two angular positions which are radially symmetrical, to be set by the guide means in accordance with the invention.
A particularly reliable contact connection able to be constantly loaded is produced by the following preferred measure, which basically constitutes an invention in its own right in conjunction with a connector or a fluid power means of the type initially mentioned. In this case there is a provision such that at least one signal switch contact is able to be slid in the insertion direction of the fluid line and that the at least one signal switch contact is provided with spring means biased toward the opening for the insertion of the fluid duct so that when there is a longitudinal movement of the fluid duct on the connector the at least one signal switch contact will remain connected with the at least one signal conductor. Although the signal switch contact is able to be slid in the insertion direction, athwart the insertion direction the signal switch contact will remain essentially in a position which is relatively fixed in relation to the contacting signal conductor.
The at least one signal switching contact is preferably secured on a contact element bearing means in a manner providing a supporting action athwart the insertion direction, such contact element bearing means being mounted in a sliding fashion on the connector for motion in the insertion direction of the fluid duct. The guide means is best arranged on the contact element bearing means.
It is convenient for the at least one signal switch contact to be able to be at least frictionally locked on the fluid duct in relation to signal conductor. This means that the action of the spring means is advantageously enhanced.
The at least one signal conductor is best arranged in a signal conductor channel in the fluid line. The at least one signal switch contact is best so designed that it may enter into a section of the signal conductor channel from the end of the fluid duct. Here it is held by friction and more particularly with a clamping action. For entering the signal conductor channel the signal switch contact preferably has a point. The signal conductor channel is for example arranged in the interior of a projection extending into the fluid duct.
The at least one signal switch contact is preferably provided with an abutment acting against the insertion direction and against which the at least one signal switch contact may bear on insertion of the fluid line into the plug socket. This measure has a particularly effective in combination with the above mentioned measures: the signal switch contact may bear against the abutment during insertion of the fluid line so that the signal switch contact may penetrate a section of the signal conductor channel. The abutment may additionally protect or the signal switch contact or, respectively, the spring means against overloading.
It is convenient to provide a contact sealing means, which seals off the at least one signal switch contact in the mounted state from the at least one fluid duct. Dirt particles or other oxidizing and/or contaminating materials in the fluid or the pressure medium are then not able to impair the electrical contact between the signal conductor and the signal switch contact.
The spring means are preferably biased toward the insertion opening. Furthermore, they are preferably designed in the form of a connection line leading to the at least one signal switch contact. However, it is also possible for the spring means to comprise a spring means separate from the at least one signal switch contact.
The guide means preferably projects beyond the at least one signal switch contact. This means that there is the following course of events on attaching the fluid line to the connector: the guide means is introduced into the fluid duct and thus the predetermined angular position of the fluid line in relation to the connector is reached. It is only in this angular position the at least one signal switch contact comes into contact with the at least one signal conductor. It may then for example enter a signal conductor channel in the fluid line during longitudinal movement in the insertion direction.
In the case of the fluid line the following measures are preferably adopted:
Its end is preferably substantially flat. The flat end is for example constituted by cutting the fluid line.
The wall of the fluid line is preferably designed for an optimum pressure sealing action in the connection zone. For instance, in accordance with a preferred form of the invention its external surface keeps to a close tolerance. It will be clear that the fluid line is preferably precision finished externally along its entire length so that it may be severe, for example, using a knife, to a given length at any desired point and may be joined to the connector of the invention.
Furthermore the fluid line is such that at least in its part intended for connecting with the connector it has a smooth outline without projections or grooves. The outline is preferably exclusively or substantially convex, and curved outward, although outwardly non-curved, flat sections are possible.
The fluid line may be in the form of a flexible hose line and/or in the form of a rigid tube.
The angular encoding means is preferably arranged on the inner side of the fluid line. It can also be constituted by the wall.
The wall of the fluid line is preferably made essentially of plastic.
In the case of the at least one signal connector it may be a question of an conductor which is substantially incompressible in the length direction of the fluid line, for example in the form of a fiber-glass arrangement or a metal wire. Preferably however the at least one signal conductor is able to be compressed in the length direction of the fluid line. More particularly under the action of the at least one signal switch contact it is possible for the signal conductor to be forced, as it were, into the wall or displaced into this position during insertion of the fluid line into the connector.
Preferably the connector constitutes an integral component of the fluid power means. It is convenient for the connector to be at least partly constituted by a housing of the fluid power means, the plug socket being arranged in the housing of the fluid power means or being constituted by it.
Further advantageous developments and convenient forms of the invention will be understood from the following detailed descriptive disclosure of some embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.